The Black Raven
by Lyta Padfoot
Summary: Roger Davies' father has him betrothed to girl in love with another. Cho Chang is the Black Raven, a pirate with a grudge against Roger's father. What happens when Cho kidnaps Roger in retaliation? Plenty.
1. An Excellent Arrangement

**"The Black Raven" **

**Chapter One: An Excellent Arrangement**

Edgar Davies was a man of flint and steel. He was without softness even to his only child Roger. What gentleness he once possessed lay buried with his wife fifteen years ago. He never remarried, there was no need as he already had an heir and no woman could compare to his beloved Elspeth. Edgar now lived only to add to the Davies wealth and power.

Every year Edgar hosted an elaborate fancy dress party to celebrate the New Year and raise funds for his late wife's charity. Two days before the event, he summoned his son into the mahogany paneled library to inform Roger that he had chosen a bride for him.

"I want you to marry Susan Bones."

Despite nineteen years of having lived with his meticulous father, Roger Davies had never considered that Edgar would attempt to dictate whom he should marry. He gaped at him before finally sputtering, "I can't marry Susan!"

Susan Bones was a distant cousin of Rogers through her late mother; after the deaths of her parent in a cauldron explosion, the young girl came to live with the Davies family as she had no other living relations. Susan was three years younger than Roger and the pair became good friends; in many ways she was the sister Roger had never had.

"Why not?" His father demanded as he moved over to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a brandy. Edgar seated himself on a leather sofa and prepared to listen to his son's objections. He had already considered most possible objections and prepared responses for them before the conversation with his son.

"She's my cousin!" Roger protested. Expected protest number one; Edgar hid a smile.

"You are second cousins," Edgar corrected. He had researched this point himself in anticipation of Roger raising such an objection. "You are distant enough cousins that the law does not forbid a marriage. Nor is there any risk of inbreeding."

"She loves Harry Potter and thinks of me like a brother."

Expected response number two. "A childish fancy," Edgar laughed. "Half of Britain fancies themselves in love with the Potter boy."

Roger ran a hand through his dark hair as he paced in front of the sofa where Edgar sat sipping his brandy. "She's your ward and it is completely inappropriate!"

Edgar shrugged. "As her legal guardian, I have the right to arrange her marriage. Its been done countless times in the past."

"This is the not the fifteenth century!"

He did not tell Roger of the plans in motion to make this marriage acceptable to society. He would limit Susan and Roger's public appearances before the wedding so he could put his own spin on the situation. The tragic tale of Susan's orphaning would be recycled in the months ahead, and while the wizarding world would be little shocked that she would wed her foster-brother, but ultimately the tale of two young purebloods in love would gain much sympathy. Roger was a kind boy and would treat Susan well. They got on well enough and time would turn friendship into love. If it could happen that way for him and his darling Elspeth, why should it be different for Susan and Roger? "Unlike Susan, I'm not underage." Roger said in a quiet voice. He had thrown the gauntlet; Edgar could see Roger wondering how his father would respond. Would he threaten to disinherit him or use Elspeth's memory in emotional blackmail?

"Then I'll offer her to Draco Malfoy," Edgar smiled coldly over his brandy glass. "She's a great heiress and he won't refuse now that he is out of mourning and free to remarry."

Edgar saw Roger repress a shudder. Malfoy's first wife Daphne Greenglass died under suspicious circumstances still whispered about when other scandals wore thin.

"The choice, my son, is yours," Edgar said with just a touch of menace. "Marry Susan yourself or see her wed to Malfoy. I hope your concern for her well-being leads you to the right decision."

Roger moved to stand before the huge window overlooking the estate. Everything as far as the eye could see belonged to the Davies family.

"So will you marry her?"

Roger nodded, keeping his back to the older man.

Edgar smiled even though he knew his son could not see it. He left the boy to brood in the library while he went to inform the bride. Roger was a romantic young man who would work hard to make his young wife happy. Once the initial sting of disappointment wore off, Susan would be content with him. It was an excellent arrangement; his son would have a suitable bride who would give the Davies family her wealth and in due course a new generation.


	2. The Davies House

**"The Black Raven" **

**Chapter Two: The Davies House**

Parvati Patil was coming down the hall when she saw Lord Edgar coming towards her and nearly tripped over the Persian rug as she moved out of his way. Lord Edgar often vented his anger upon hapless servants and it was best to not to cross his path.

"You, girl!" Edgar beckoned her to him. As she approached, Parvati dared to glance up and noted that her employer appeared to be in a good mood.

"Yes, my lord?"

"When will tailors come with the costumes for my son and his betrothed?"

"Betrothed?" Parvati repeated.

"Lady Susan," Edgar informed her.

Parvati had been Susan's maid for almost a year and knew her well. While Susan cared for Roger like a brother but loved Harry Potter deeply. This engagement smacked of an arrangement. Parvati was not surprised Edgar wanted the match – Susan was an heiress of considerable fortune - but she was stunned Lord Roger agreed to hit.

Lord Edgar probably threatened to disinherit him, Parvati thought. The principles of the wealthy always vanished like smoke when someone threatened their gold.

"The dressmaker will be here tomorrow for the final fitting."

"Very good."

Edgar continued down the hall until he came to Susan's room. Parvati watched him knock and enter.

Parvati stood in the middle of the corridor, her original errand forgotten as she digested this latest news.

Wizard law set the minimum age for marriage at sixteen, but coming of age at seventeen. No under-aged witch or wizard could marry without parental permission and could not refuse a match before coming of age. Parvati had known Susan feared her sixteenth birthday, but with her seventeenth birthday in five months, she had started to relax and.

Parvati moved to the door, hoping to listen at the keyhole, but that proved unnecessary. The door had not shut all the way and Parvati could hear their conversation with ease.

"I won't marry him! I'm too young to marry anyone." Susan insisted. Through the crack in the door, Parvati could see that Susan had her arms crossed over her chest and her blue eyes flashed defiance.

"You're sixteen and my ward. I have the right to arrange your marriage."

Edgar started to leave and Parvati hurried into the linen cupboard adjacent to Susan's room. It would be best to remain out of sight until Edgar had left, she didn't think he would approve of eavesdropping. Parvati sat down on the floor and closed her eyes. Already the beginnings of a plan were forming in her mind.

Later, when she went up with a tray for Susan's dinner, she discovered Edgar had magically sealed the girl into her room.

Susan sat on the widow seat, staring bleakly at the manicured lawn in front of her, a half-empty bottle of whiskey in one hand.

"Congratulate me," Susan slurred. "I'm going be married in March. To Cousin Roger."

"I know."

Susan took another drink. "I'm under-aged. I don't have a choice."

Parvati took a deep breath. "There may be a way…"

"There is nothing," Susan sighed. "I know the law. There aren't any loopholes."

"You can only be compelled the wed before your seventeenth birthday," Parvati reminded her. "But Lord Edgar would have to have access to you to force a marriage."

"You want me to run away." Susan started to giggle. "I can't even leave my room, he sealed me in."

"I have friends who can help you," Parvati said, keeping her words vague. "But they cannot come unto the estate without permission."

Susan rested her forehead against the window. "I'm family."

Parvati nodded. Only Edgar, Roger, or Susan could grant the magical permission needed in order to gain access to the Davies estate. She helped Susan make out three passes and sign them before helping her into bed.

Parvati folded the passes and hid them in her robes. She debated using a memory charm on Susan to erase all memory of the passes, but she hated memory charms, and it was unlikely she'd remember. In the end, Parvati decided it was better to be safe rather than sorry.

"I'm sorry about this…_obliviate_," Parvati whispered. She watched the spell settle over the sleeping girl before she headed for the door and closed it softly behind her.

In the morning, Susan would awake with a sore head and remember nothing. She was attribute everything to what she'd drunk the night before.

Meanwhile Parvati, wearing an enveloping black cloak, went to a nearby pub, the Fourth Dragon. She approached the bar man.

"You have something for our flighty friend?"

Parvati nodded. "I need to see her tomorrow. I know a way to make Mr. Davies a very unhappy man."

The bar man gave her a toothless grin. "I hope so. I'll pass along your greetings."


End file.
